Halifax EB220 damaged in the air, landed at Tholthorpe airfield.
On the evening of 3rd November 1943 the crew of this 434 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf and took off from Croft airfield at 16.33hrs. The time the aircraft was over the target and at what height the aircraft released the bomb load from is not recorded in the squadron records. Whilst over the target area the aircraft was struck from above by falling incendiary bombs released by a higher flying aircraft that passed through both wings. The starboard inner engine was rendered unservicable, a three foot hole in the port wing, a hole in the outer starboard fuel tank and the starboard tail plane was also damaged. Despite the damage the crew were able to fly the aircraft safely back to Tholthorpe where they landed at 22.24hrs.
Pilot - F/Sgt John Hunter Keane RCAF (R/133728).
Navigator - Sgt Howard Wainwright O'Gorman RCAF (R/117236).
Bomb Aimer - F/O W L Roberts RCAF (J/21734).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Emerson Nicholas RAFVR (1316611).
Air Gunner - Sgt W L Kunkel RCAF (R/186323).
Air Gunner - Sgt Glen Alvin Rice RCAF (R/162178).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Alwyn Guy RAFVR (1831303).